Tag: Soldier Field

98 days until Notre Dame-Ohio State

jump arouND

The countdown until Notre Dame football returns to the field is officially on as today we go under 100 days.  We started our countdown by looking back at Lou Holtz in honor of his 100 wins as Notre Dame’s head coach and will have various different ways to countdown the days and numbers going forward.

Related – 99 days until Notre Dame football returns

Today we are exactly 14 weeks from the first full Saturday of college football in 2022 and we note it by looking back at perhaps the most important play of the 2021 season.

Trailing Wisconsin 13-10 just under a minute into the fourth quarter at last season’s Shamrock Series game, Notre Dame was getting the ball back and had backup quarterback [autotag]Drew Pyne[/autotag] who was forced into action.  In need of points, [autotag]Chris Tyree[/autotag] took a lot of pressure off Pyne the rest of the day as his 98-yard kickoff return began and onslaught of 31 fourth quarter points in what wound up a 41-13 victory.

Rewatch the video below and check out some of the best photos from that day as well.

Best photos from Notre Dame-Wisconsin in 2021:

5 takeaways from Bears’ 33-22 loss to the Cardinals

Here are our takeaways from the Bears’ brutal loss to the Cardinals on Sunday.

Fifteen years ago, the late Dennis Green announced to the world that “the Bears are who we thought they were” after they staged an impressive comeback on Monday Night Football during the 2006 season.

Flash forward to the 2021 season, and those same words can be spoken about this team. After being put away by the Cardinals 33-22 and sitting at 4-8, the Bears are once again who we thought they were, and that is simply a bad football team.

With Andy Dalton at the helm instead of Justin Fields, who is still recovering from his rib injury, the Bears were behind the eight ball almost immediately, thanks to turnovers and never were able to recover against one of the best teams in the league.

Fans in attendance were treated to poor football in poor weather conditions, a tradition unlike any other at Soldier Field. Here are my takeaways from Sunday’s debacle on the lakefront.

Brian Kelly talks record-setting celebration, Belichick relationship

What is your favorite style of pizza?

It was almost fitting that Notre Dame was in Chicago for the game Brian Kelly passed Knute Rockne for the most wins by a football coach in program history.  Rockne was after all from Chicago having grown up in the Logan Square neighborhood before taking off to attend and play football at Notre Dame.

So what better way was there for Kelly to celebrate breaking Rockne’s record than by participating in two of the things Chicago is most known for:  pizza and traffic.

Kelly was on the Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday and described the celebration that was a bit of a throwback for the former Grand Valley State head coach.

“We were in Chicago so we celebrated with some pizza and by sitting on a bus in traffic getting out of Chicago” Kelly stated, noting it was like being back in Division II football or like in minor league baseball.  He also shared that he understands why its a big deal but was more excited to see some of Notre Dame’s young players develop against a good Wisconsin team.

The interview also gets to how the showdown with Cincinnati this week was scheduled and into the relationship between Kelly and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

On relationship with legendary football coach Bill Belichick…

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Bears CEO Ted Phillips releases statement regarding purchase agreement for Arlington Park property

The Bears officially announced they’ve signed a purchase agreement for the Arlington Park property that could serve as their new stadium.

The Chicago Bears officially announced they’ve signed a purchase agreement for the Arlington Park property that could serve as the future home of a new state-of-the-art stadium. That, or it could be a negotiating tactic as the team shows it’s serious about potentially leaving Soldier Field if they can’t get the renovations they need.

While Soldier Field has its storied history, it is the smallest stadium in the NFL (61,500 capacity). Any potential renovations are limited given that the stadium is owned by the city of Chicago. So building a new stadium — where the Bears have control — isn’t a crazy idea at all.

The Bears’ lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033. But the Bears would have to pay $84 million to the city if they break the lease in 2026. That would decrease after 2026.

Here’s the official statement from Bears President and CEO Ted Phillips:

“We are excited to have executed a Purchase and Sale Agreement (PSA) for the Arlington Park property. We are grateful to Churchill Downs Incorporated for their efforts to reach this point. We also appreciate the support of Mayor Tom Hayes and the Village of Arlington Heights. Finalizing the PSA was the critical next step in continuing our exploration of the property and its potential. Much work remains to be completed, including working closely with the Village of Arlington Heights and surrounding communities, before we can close on this transaction. Our goal is to chart a path forward that allows our team to thrive on the field, Chicagoland to prosper from this endeavor, and the Bears organization to be ensured a strong future. We will never stop working toward delivering Bears fans the very best experience. We will continue to provide updates on our progress at the appropriate time.”

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Twitter reacts to Bears purchasing Arlington International Racecourse

It sounds like a new stadium is in the works for the Bears, and fan reaction is mostly positive.

If the Chicago Bears wanted the perfect distraction from the mess that has been Matt Nagy and Chicago’s abysmal offense, news of a potential move to the suburbs and a new state-of-the-art stadium is the perfect way to do just that.

According to The Athletic, the Bears have purchased the Arlington International Racecourse property in Arlington Heights. The team announced back in June that they’d placed a bid on the property. Now, they’ve signed the purchase agreement.

An official announcement is expected Wednesday morning.

The Bears’ lease at Soldier Field runs through 2033. But the Bears would have to pay $84 million to the city if they break the lease in 2026. That would decrease after 2026.

For now, fans are sharing their thoughts on the Bears’ possible move to the suburbs and the idea of a new stadium in Arlington Heights. And, for the most part, the reaction has been positive.

Brian Kelly still not pleased with officials from Saturday

What was the worst call or non-call on Saturday?

Leading 24-13 with just over five minutes to play on Saturday, Notre Dame was forced to punt as Wisconsin tried to keep hope alive.  On that punt that was fair caught at the Wisconsin 14 yard line, Brian Kelly was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, a 15-yard penalty that moved the Badgers up to the 29.

Two days after the game and play, Kelly still wasn’t pleased with the officials call.

“Yeah, we had it pretty clear. When two guys take a run at somebody, I guess that’s not targeting somebody I guess. But if you try to stop somebody from going in the end zone, that’s targeting. We just don’t have it right yet. Your eyes should tell you what’s going on in the game, but sometimes we hide behind the rulebook. It just wasn’t officiated in the manner that I thought it should have been. So, they thought that because I went three feet out on the field, that I should get a flag for them not officiating it correctly.”

I’ve wanted to see the actual incident he refers to with Hamilton but am yet to be able to find the clip online.  These are the kind of things that make players like to play for a certain coach though, when that coach goes to bat for a wrongdoing and then continues to do so.

Related:

Notre Dame releases depth chart for test with No. 7 Cincinnati

Notre Dame dominates fourth quarter vs. Wisconsin:  5 Instant Takeaways

Notre Dame’s all-time winningest football coaches

Best photos from Notre Dame’s 41-13 win over Wisconsin

Notre Dame celebrates Wisconsin win with ‘Jump Around’

I came to get down…

A wild scene unleashed at Soldier Field at the start of the fourth quarter Saturday when Wisconsin’s tradition of playing “Jump Around” took place.  As is the case at each Badgers home game the crowd went nuts.

With Drew Pyne in at quarterback and the Wisconsin defense swarming it seemed like the Irish were entering dangerous waters, but things quickly turned as a 13-10 deficit with 14:14 to play turned into a 41-13 Notre Dame victory.

In his on the field interview with Fox immediately after breaking Knute Rockne’s all-time Notre Dame wins record, Kelly stated that the Irish thought “Jump Around was their own fight song.”

The best photos from Notre Dame-Wisconsin at Soldier Field

The Irish must have liked it quite a bit because after the game it was one of the songs of choice in the locker room.

Not long after the game the Notre Dame social media team got in on the fun.

Well played by all.

And for the record the “Jump Around” tradition is pretty cool.  I wish more Notre Dame fans would have participated in the fun instead to start the fourth quarter at Soldier Field. It’s a catchy tune and makes one want to jump around.

Especially after scoring 31 straight fourth quarter points.

Related:

Notre Dame puts it On Wisconsin: 5 Instant Takeaways

5 Stars: Best and Worst of Notre Dame’s win over Wisconsin

Brian Kelly becomes Notre Dame’s all-time winningest coach

Latest on Notre Dame’s quarterback situation after Wisconsin win

The latest on Notre Dame’s quarterback situation

Who should Notre Dame start at quarterback vs. Cincinnati?

Drew Pyne was a bit of a hero for Notre Dame as the sophomore quarterback came in the game, helped flip field position, helped deliver a touchdown drive, and ultimately helped the Irish to a victory against favored Wisconsin.

Kelly said after the game of Jack Coan’s injury that “It’s a soft-tissue injury. It doesn’t even respond like a high-ankle sprain, so we’re optimistic we’ll see him back next week.”

When asked about a potential quarterback controversy, Kelly was quick to downplay that and reaffirm who the starter is going forward.

“Jack Coan is our starter. If he’s physically able, he’ll be our starter against Cincinnati.”

So injury dependant we know who Kelly would at least like to start when Notre Dame hosts No. 8 Cincinnati next week.  Coan, Pyne, Kelly and the Irish improved to 4-0 with the 41-13 victory as the Irish remained unbeaten all-time at Soldier Field.

Related:

Notre Dame puts it On Wisconsin: 5 Instant Takeaways

5 Stars: Best and Worst of Notre Dame’s win over Wisconsin

Brian Kelly becomes Notre Dame’s all-time winningest quarterback

 

5 Stars: The Best and Worst of Notre Dame’s win over Wisconsin

That was fun, but the Irish still have some work to do

The first half wasn’t pretty, but heading into the locker room with a 10-3 lead was great for the Irish. The Badgers battled back to take a 13-10 lead but the Irish answered in a huge way. They made the plays at the most opportune times and ended up blowing out Wisconsin, 41-13. Find out who had the best, 5 stars, and worst, 1 star, performances for the Irish today.

Watch: Drew White get’s another pick-6 for Notre Dame against Wisconsin

It’s a pick-6 party for the Irish!!!

Oh hey Jack Kiser, this is Drew White, I saw your house call and wanted to make one of my own. As the Badgers scrambled to try and come back against Notre Dame, they were forced to go through the air and it wasn’t such a good idea.

Jack Kiser just returned an interception for a touchdown and then it was White’s turn to do the same. The tip drill resulted in White picking off yet another Graham Mertz pass, this fourth of the day, and with a convoy of defenders turned blockers, White like Kiser, found the endzone to put an exclamation point on the huge win against Wisconsin.